In Sleep No More, audiences move freely through the story at their own pace, choosing where to go and what to see. The sensory theatre spectacle, which debuted Off-Broadway in April 2011, will be presented Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7 PM, Fridays at 7:30 PM, and Saturdays at 3 PM and 8 PM. It was previously scheduled to reopen at The McKittrick Hotel October 4. Sleep No More, the Macbeth-inspired immersive theatre experience from the British theatre company Punchdrunk, will now begin its return engagement on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2022. And - part of the fun - be prepared to compare notes with your friends at the end, because you'll all find you saw different things! Oh, and be warned - this form of entertainment can be *very* addictive.Even if masked, safety comes first. The best bits of this show will leave you slack-jawed with amazement. Be constantly prepared for the unexpected, but don't be scared - this isn't a haunted house experience. Check everything in at coat check (except your wallet!) as it gets very hot in there. You could read Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca' as well, as the plot is partly based on that. Read 'Macbeth' before you visit - it won't help much, but it'll give you a handle on what's going on. Don't try and stay in contact with your friends or loved ones - it's meant to be an individual experience (and don't worry about getting lost, you'll be guided to the exit at the end). Wear shoes you can run in (if you want to, it's never compulsory). Or go to the bar, where the cabaret entertainment continues throughout the show. If you find the story confusing or perplexing, or you just want something else to admire, spend your time examining the incredible detail of the sets or enjoying the jazz-age music pumping out of the speakers. Don't be alarmed by reports of performers grabbing people and taking them off into rooms - you won't be forced into this, and you won't be required to 'perform' yourself. It's a huge adventure, with you at the centre. It'll be confusing for a while you have to make your own interpretation of what you see, you have to decide which of the twenty or so stories you want to follow at any one moment. If you're fascinated by the gothic or the horrifying, or just wondering how an entire fantasy world can be conjured up in what is basically a converted warehouse, give this show a try. Darkly lit (watch your step) the world is morbid and doomladen - not without its light-hearted or humorous moments, but you have to look for them. You really do enter an entirely different world. But what the company does with that dance form is to place it in an environment so detailed, so atmospheric, that it immediately becomes compelling. Now, I know that sounds boring - I would have thought so too, once. But if you know nothing about the company or this production, here's what to expect: the show is basically three hours of interpretative dance. So naturally I'm going to rate this one highly. I went to The Drowned Man in London seventeen times, so I'm fully at ease with the Punchdrunk ethos. Full disclosure: I am an obsessive Punchdrunk fan.
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